2003 European Open (snooker)

European Open

Tournament information
Dates	11–16 March 2003
Venue	Palace Hotel
City	Torquay
Country	England
Organisation(s)	WPBSA
Format	Ranking event
Total prize fund	£250,000
Winner's share	£44,000
Final
Champion	Ronnie O'Sullivan
Runner-up	Stephen Hendry
Score	9–6
← 2001 2004 →

The 2003 European Open was a professional snooker tournament and the fifth of eight WPBSA ranking events in the 2002/2003 season, following the Welsh Open. It was held from 11 to 16 March 2003 at the Palace Hotel in Torquay, England. This marked the first and only time when any of the editions of this tournament was not held outside the British Isles. Ronnie O'Sullivan won his 12th ranking title by defeating Stephen Hendry 9–6 in the final. O'Sullivan went on to win back-to-back ranking titles – his next coming at the 2003 Irish Masters, just two weeks later, where he triumphed over John Higgins in a deciding frame.

Tournament summary

Defending champion Stephen Hendry was the number 1 seed with World Champion Peter Ebdon seeded 2. The remaining places were allocated to players based on the world rankings.

Main draw

	Last 32 Best of 9 frames					Last 16 Best of 9 frames					Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames					Semi-finals Best of 11 frames					Final Best of 17 frames
	1	Stephen Hendry	5
		Dave Harold	3
						1	Stephen Hendry	5
						12	Graeme Dott	4
	12	Graeme Dott	5
		Tony Drago	3
											1	Stephen Hendry	5
											5	John Higgins	2
	10	Jimmy White	3
		Gerard Greene	5
							Gerard Greene	4
						5	John Higgins	5
	5	John Higgins	5
		Barry Pinches	1
																1	Stephen Hendry	6
																4	Mark Williams	3
	6	Ken Doherty	5
		David Gray	1
						6	Ken Doherty	3
						9	Paul Hunter	5
	9	Paul Hunter	5
		Robin Hull	2
											9	Paul Hunter	2
											4	Mark Williams	5
	15	Alan McManus	1
		Bjorn Haneveer	5
							Bjorn Haneveer	1
						4	Mark Williams	5
	4	Mark Williams	5
		Steve Davis	1
																					1	Stephen Hendry	6
																					3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	9
	3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	5
		Michael Holt	3
						3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	5
							Dave Finbow	3
	13	Joe Perry	4
		Dave Finbow	5
											3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	5
											7	Stephen Lee	2
	14	Quinten Hann	5
		Jamie Burnett	4
						14	Quinten Hann	3
						7	Stephen Lee	5
	7	Stephen Lee	5
		Robert Milkins	4
																3	Ronnie O'Sullivan	6
																2	Peter Ebdon	3
	8	Matthew Stevens	5
		Ian McCulloch	1
						8	Matthew Stevens	3
						11	Mark King	5
	11	Mark King	5
		David Roe	3
											11	Mark King	4
											2	Peter Ebdon	5
	16	Joe Swail	5
		Mark Davis	4
						16	Joe Swail	2
						2	Peter Ebdon	5
	2	Peter Ebdon	5
		Marco Fu	2

Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Jan Verhaas. Palace Hotel, Torquay, England, 16 March 2003.
Stephen Hendry (1)  Scotland	6–9	Ronnie O'Sullivan (3)  England
Afternoon: 0–140 (140), 100–11, 101–7 (101), 0–76 (76), 5–65 (52), 3–131 (126), 8–76 (76), 88–33 (88) Evening: 0–142 (142), 97–25 (53), 123–1 (117), 0–77 (77), 72–37 (72), 50–79 (Hendry 50), 0–79 (79)
117	Highest break	142
2	Century breaks	3
6	50+ breaks	8

References